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Trees by the Water (A reminder)

This is a re-post (with minor changes) from the first year of this blog.
More importantly, at the threshold of a new year, it is a reminder to myself of where I want to be and to Whom I owe the life I’m living.

Just a short personal story to explain this photo, a small portion of which I use as my photo ID across the web.

I was vacationing with friends. When we arrived at our rented vacation home, the bedroom situation wasn’t quite what we had expected, and we found ourselves short one bedroom. There were tiny ripples of disappointment and frustration throughout the house. I was road weary and just wanted to settle in. I took the couch in the library as my bed.

On top of the weariness and disappointment, I had too many noisy voices in my head that day. I was in the process of trying to sort out whether or not to leave a long-time job. Confused. Doubtful. Arguing with myself, going ’round in circles. I was torn between old ways and habits of thinking and new paths I felt called to follow …

Did I mention how tired I was?

Not too many weeks before, the Lord’s promise in Jeremiah 17:7-8 had seared itself into my heart.

“But blessed are those who trust in the LORD
and have made the LORD their hope and confidence.

They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
with roots that reach deep into the water.

Such trees are not bothered by the heat
or worried by long months of drought.

Their leaves stay green,
and they never stop producing fruit.”

This was the life I wanted to live!
I had made the decision to put all my eggs into one basket — into God’s hands.

But that night on the couch in Roque Bluffs, I was so weary. Under siege by doubts, discouragement, and self-criticism, I was at the point of giving up on what seemed like an impossible new life. When I went to bed that first night, darkness had fallen outside — and seeped into my mind and my heart.

But when I opened my eyes to morning light, the first imprint on my brain was the view you see in the photo. Without putting on my glasses or even lifting my head from my pillow, I saw green trees outlined against a shimmering stretch of silver sea.

Trees by the water.

I had a perfect view, from my bed on the couch. No other bed in the house had that view, that I needed, on that day.

God said, “Trust me.”

I slept on the couch for a week, waking each morning to the view of green trees by the water and the reminder, “Trust me.”

And, if you look verrrry closely at the photograph, there I sit at water’s edge… learning to be a tree planted by the water.

Elaine, This is a fabulous post-so well grounded in scripture and so very real. By the way, In a post that will appear on my blog on Tuesday January 7th, I quote Job 33:14 which you mentioned in a recent comment on my blog – http://www.everydayservant.com. At the end of the post, I mention your comment and link back to your blog. Thanks for your blog. I enjoy reading it.
Bob Jackson